Hobbyhorse having changeable gait



July 10, 1951 B. c. REYNOLDS ETAJ. I 2,559,798

HOBBYHORSE HAVING CHANGEABLE GAIT Filed June 9. 1950 s Sheets-Sheet; 1'

J1 INVENTORS B672 dPeynoZcZs 9- an tOxz A Fey): 0 Z is y 1951 B. c. REYNOLDS, ET AL 2,559,798

HOBBYHORSE HAVING CHANGEABLE GAIT Filed June 9. 1950 s Sheets-Sheet 2 IN V EN TORS Be 72 6. Reynolds Ca $0224 Re 2202 3 Arry.

July 10, 1951 a. c. REYNOLDS El l. 2,559,793

HOBBYHORSE HAVING CHANGEA BLE GAIT Filed June 9. 1950 sheets sheet 5 INVENTORS Ben 65 Pegnalds l l i cgaytorz A.Re vz0.ZcZ9

Patented July 10, 1 951 UNITED STATES. PATENT OFF E 2,559,798 noeievnoasn HsvING cnsNgEAeLii ert BenC. Reynolds and Clayton A. Reynolds,

' Kan Pa- Application June 1950, erial bio. ifififiil l 3 Claims. (o1. avg-sea) The present invention relates to a hobby horse having changeable gaits and it consists "in" the combinations; constructions and arrangements of parts herein described and claimed.

Generally, th invention consists of a hobby horse having a relatively large rectangular base upon which is centrally mounted a vertical standard adjacent the upper end of which is pivotally mounted the hollow body of a simulated horse which extends parallel to the horizontal axis of the base. Upon either side of the standard, below the pivot point of the body, there is mounted a segmental gear with each of which is enmeshed a pinion affixed to a shaft protruding inwardly from the adjacent inner side of the body. Also afiixed to each of these shafts is a disc. A pair of forelegs is pivotally mounted upon the outer side of the forward end of the body and a pair of hind legs is pivotally mounted upon the outer side of the rear end of the body. An inwardly extending pin is amxed to each of the legs and extends into the interior of the body through an adjacent arcuate slot provided therefor in the body and to each of the pins there is pivotally connected a link whose other end is selectively engaged with one of the discs at various positions adjacent the periphery thereof. Depending upon the points of connection of such links with such discs, a variety of gaits may be simulated by the legs when the body is worked back and forth by a child sittin thereon, as, for example, a trotting gait, a pacing gait and a galloping gait.

It is accordingly an object of the invention ,to provide a device of the character set forth wherein means is provided for the simulation of 'va'ri ous'gaits of four-legged animals.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a device of the character set forth which is simple in construction, inexpensive to manufac ture and yet emcient and effective in use;

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of the character set forth wherein sim ple means is provided for changing the type of gait simulated by leg members forming a part of the invention,

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a device of the character set forth which may be readily manufactured of materials which are easily and cheaply obtained.

Another object of the invention is the provision, in a device of the character set forth for novel means for actuating certain leg members formin a part of the invention.

Other and further objects of the invention will eer's l 'i'fat the rciware ii 2 specification taken in conjunction with the draw ings', inwhich: v

Figure 1 is a side elevational view, partly broken away, of an embodiment of the invention," 1 Figure 2 is a plan view thereof, Figure 3 is a front elevational view of the device shown in Figures 1 and 2, Figure i is a view similar to Figure 1 but showing the device in one position it 'may" assume while the mechanism therein is connec e, to

simulate a trotting gait,

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure {l but show me ianother position the device may assumewhile its mech'anismis connected to simulate a trots gait, I

F gure 6 is a r men y ec iona V w taken alonfgline 6-6o f Figure 7, Figure 7 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional viewtaken along linel-l of Figure l, I s

Figure '8 an enlarged fragmentary sectional View taken along1ine8-8 of Fr'i ure'5, v f igu'reQ a fragmentary sectional view taken along line 9 -9 of Figure 10, Figure '10 is a fragmentary sectional view similar toFigure' 8 but showing the mechanism'the' in connected in such manner as to simulate a g lcriinee V Figure 11 is an elevational view of a body meniberforining a part of the invention, "Figure 12 is anelevational view of a foreleg member forming a part of the invention,

Figure 13 is an elevational view of a hind ieg member forming a part of the invention, and

Figihe 14'is an elevatioa1 View of ahead meniber for ningapartof the invention. v

Referring more particularly to the drawings, there is shown therein a hobby horse having a relativlylarge rectangular base it centrallyaf I fixe to which is an upright standard" l, *EX- ter'iding laterally through the standard ll adjacentthe'upper end thereof isan elongated bolt.

l2 having ahead it and provided with amtm. The bolt; 1'2 acts to hold together in'parallel spaced relation a pair of body members l'5, the"head l'3 being "countersunk in the outer side of ln'dr he body members and the nut is being received in a recess 16' in "the outer side of the otherbody member. i

"A fill'er plate H is interposed between the up a Beck -refute 'simulate daf1imal wine thep'rsently illustrated ormsorse? 'Al'iead member i '8} infthis'" case simulating that offla "116 i'is interpos'ed t een the'body eer the-renamis provided upon both sides with two bolts [9, extending transversely through the body members 55, holding the head in a fixed position, which if desired, can be changed, in order that the head member !8, be movable, to and fro, upon a pivot.

A bolt 29 extends transversely through the body members l5 adjacent the forward ends thereof and has pivotally mounted at each end thereof a foreleg member 2 l each of which is provided with an opening 22 for the reception of such bolt 2|]. A like bolt 23 extends transversely through the body members l5 adjacent the rear end thereof and has pivotally mounted at either end thereof a rear leg member 24 each of which is provided with an opening 25 for the reception of such bolt 23.

Upon either side of the standard below the bolt if there is afiixed by means of a bolt 26 or the like, a segmental gear 27. A pinion 28 is enmeshed with each of the segmental gears 21 and each pinion is revolubly mounted upon a shaft 29 which extends laterally inwardly from the lower central portion of each of the body members i5.

Formed integrally with or aflixed to each of the pinions 28 is a disc 30.

Each of the forelegs 2| is provided with an inwardly extending pin 3| at a point below the bolt 2% and each pin extends through an arcuate slot 32 formed in the adjacent portion of the body member it. To the inner end of each of the pins 3| there is pivotally connected one end of a forward link 33, the other end of which is connected to the disc 38 upon its respective side of the hobby horse.

Each of the hind legs 24 is provided with an inwardly extending pin 34 which extends through an arcuate slot 35 formed in the adjacent portion of the body member l5 and has pivotally connected to its inner end a rear link member 36, the other end of which is pivotally connected to the disc 3!] upon its respective side of the hobby horse.

The links 33 and 36 are connected with the discs 39 at selective points adjacent the peripheries of such discs by means of pins 31 or the like.

A tail member 38 is mounted between the body members id at the upper rear portions thereof and filler panels such as the front panel 39 are interposed between the edge portions of the body members i5 wherever desirable to help complete the simulation of an actual animal.

In operation, it will be apparent that a child using the device may mount upon the back of the hobby horse with or without a saddle and that thereafter a forward and rearward rocking motion of the body members 25 and attached devices, with the bolt l2 supporting the same and acting as a pivot, will cause the pinions 28 to oscillate forwardly and rearwardly at the same time causing the discs 33 to oscillate with respect to their shafts 29. Such action will cause the links 33 and 36 to reciprocate substantially parallel to the horizontal axis of the body members l5 and thus cause an oscillating movement of each of the legs 2| and 25 upon their respective pivots 2i] and 23, thus simulating the actual movement of the legs of a live quadruped.

If both of the links 33 are connected to their respective discs 30 in parallel registry to each other and both of the links 36 are likewise connected to their respective discs 30, as shown, for example, in Figures 9 and of the drawings, then both the forelegs 2| will move forwardly simultaneously while both hind legs 24 will move rearwardly together at the same time and, upon completion of such movement, both forelegs 2| will move rearwardly together while both hind legs 23 will move forwardly together and simultaneously with the rearward movement of the forelegs, thus simulating a gallop.

If, on the other hand, the links 33 and 36 on one side of the device are both connected at the same point upon the forward half of their associated disc 38 by a single pin 31 and the other links 33 and 35 are connected to the rearward half of their respective disc 30 likewise by a single pin 31, as shown, for example, in Figure 8 of the drawings, then the resultant movements of the leg members 2| and 23 will be those of a trotting gait, as illustrated in Figures 4 and 5.

It will be apparent that by selectively connecting the links 33 and 36 to their respective discs 30, other well known gaits, such as the pacer gait, may be simulated by the leg members 2| and 23 when the device is rocked upon the bolt l2, as aforesaid.

While but one form of the invention has been shown and described herein, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that many minor modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A device of the character described comprising a base, a standard centrally afiixed to said base, a hollow body receiving and pivotally connected to said standard adjacent the upper end thereof, a foreleg pivoted to either side of the forward portion of said body, a hind leg pivoted to either side of the rear portion of said body, and means interconnecting the standard and the body for imparting oscillating movement to said legs relative to said body when said body is oscillated with respect to said standard, said means including a segmental gear afiixed to each side of said standard within said body, a shaft extending inwardly from each side of said body, a pinion revolubly mounted upon each shaft and enmeshed with a segmental gear, a disc affixed to each of said pinions and likewise revoluble upon its associated shaft, a pin extending inwardly from each leg through said body, and a link interconnecting each pin upon each side of the body with the disc adjacent that side of the body.

2. A device of the character described comprising a base, a standard centrally affixed to said base, a hollow body receiving and pivotally connected to said standard adjacent the upper end thereof, a foreleg pivoted to either side of the forward portion of said body, a hind leg pivoted to either side of the rear portion of said body, and means interconnecting the standard and the body for imparting oscillating movement to said legs relative to said body when said body is oscillated with respect to said standard, said means including a segmental gear aflixed to each side of said standard within said body, a shaft extending inwardly from each side of said body, a pinion revolubly mounted upon each shaft and enmeshed with a segmental gear, a disc affixed to each of said pinions and likewise revoluble upon its associated shaft, a pin extending inwardly from each leg through said body, and a link interconnecting each pin upon each side of the body with the disc adjacent that side of the body and said last mentioned means including pins for selectively connecting said links to various points 5 adjacent the peripheries of the discs associated with said links.

3. A device of the character described comprising a base, a standard centrally aflixed to said base, a hollow body receiving and pivotally connected to said standard adjacent the upper end I thereof, a foreleg pivoted to either side of the forward portion of said body, a hind leg pivoted to either side of the rear portion of said body, and means interconnecting the standard and the body for imparting oscillating movement to said legs relative to said body when said body is oscillated with respect to said standard, said means including a segmental gear afiixed to each side of said,

standard within said body, a shaft extending inwardly from each side of said body, a pinion revolubly mounted upon each shaft and enmeshed with a segmental gear, a disc affixed to each of said pinions and likewise revoluble upon its associated shaft, a pin extending inwardly 0 from each leg through said body, and a link inter- 6 connecting each pin upon each side of the body with the disc adjacent that side of the body, said body being provided with an arouate slot adjacent each pin for the reception of said pin.

BEN C. REYNOLDS. CLAYTON A. REYNOLDS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the 10 file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,512,972 Zsarnay Oct. 28, 1924 2,469,263 Fischer May 3, 1949 2,478,091 Dwyer Aug. 2, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 249,799 Italy A. D. 1926 

